Wireless communication game system

ABSTRACT

A wireless communication game system includes a plurality of mobile game apparatuses, which function as a parent device or a child device and are capable of making a communication with each other, and broadcasts from the parent device a parent device packet including a parent device PID, a user name UserName, a game name GameName, an OC flag, an E slot, a U slot, and a payload. All the parent device packets are received from the parent device existing within a communicationable range of a user&#39;s own apparatus, and the user&#39;s own apparatus creates a parent device list, and displays the parent device list on an LCD. Therefore, a user or a player of his own apparatus looks at the game name of the parent device list, for example, and operates a cross key included in an operation key so as to select one desired parent device. Then, transmitting a child device number CID of the user&#39;s own apparatus at the E slot designated by the parent device packet, the user&#39;s own apparatus transmits a connection request to the parent device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/092,741 filed Apr. 7, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/830,762 filed Mar. 14, 2013, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/926,381 filed Nov.15, 2010, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 10/689,073 filed Oct. 21,2003, which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No.2002-305523 filed Oct. 21, 2002. The entire contents of these areincorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

FIELD

The present invention relates to a game system utilizing wirelesscommunication. More specifically, the present invention relates to awireless communication game system having a “child” device capable ofstoring information of a parent device existing within a communicablerange between the child device, and a mobile game apparatus and a gamesystem used therefor.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

One example of a conventional wireless communication game system isdisclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laying-open No. 2000-135380(International Classification: A63F13/00, H04L12/28) laid-open on May,16, 2000.

In this prior art reference, people such as friends, and others, promiseamong themselves, for example, that they will bring a game apparatusthat executes the same game, establish communication via the gameapparatus, and execute a wireless communication game. In the prior art,users have no choice but to confirm verbally identification informationof the game apparatus of others and information on a game name, etc., inorder to know such information. Therefore, in a case where a gameapparatus of unknown persons exists within a communicable range, it isrealistically difficult to play the wireless communication game withthat person. Therefore, in the prior art, the user cannot freely anddynamically select the game apparatus of a communicating partner.

Therefore, it is a feature of the exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention to provide a novel wireless communication game system, amobile game apparatus, a child device connecting method, and a gameprogram in a wireless communication game system.

It is another feature of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention to provide a wireless communication game system, a mobile gameapparatus, a child device connecting method, a game program in awireless communication game system capable of arbitrarily selecting aparent device which a child device intends to select.

It is still another feature of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention to provide a wireless communication game system, a mobile gameapparatus, a child device connecting method and a game program in awireless communication game system capable of freely playing a wirelesscommunication game with the game apparatus existing within acommunicable range.

A wireless communication game system according to of an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention uses a plurality of mobile gameapparatuses, which function as a parent device or a child device and arecapable of wireless communication with each other. The parent deviceincludes broadcasting circuitry for broadcasting a parent device packetincluding user's own apparatus identifying information for allowing auser's own apparatus to be identified and game identifying informationfor allowing a game executed by the user's own apparatus to beidentified. The child device includes a receiver, a display, a selector,and a connection request transmitter. The receiver receives the parentdevice packet from the parent device existing within a communicablerange. The display displays a parent device list of the parent deviceexisting within a communicable range, based on the parent device packetreceived by the receiver. The selector allows a player to select any oneof the parent devices included in the parent device list. The connectionrequest transmitter transmits a connection request toward the parentdevice selected by the selector.

More specifically, the wireless communication game system is formedusing at least two mobile game apparatuses (10: corresponding referencenumeral in the detailed description of the preferred embodimentsdescribed below in this embodiment. A mobile game apparatus (10) in theembodiment includes a mobile game machine (12), and a wirelesscommunication unit (14) attached to the mobile game machine. In a caseof the parent device, the mobile game apparatus uses this mobilecommunication unit (14) so as to broadcast a parent device packet in afirst time slot, and receives a child device packet in a second timeslot. In a case of the child device, the mobile game apparatus receivesthe parent device packet in the first time slot, and transmits the childdevice packet toward the parent device in the second time slot.

The broadcasting circuitry corresponds to steps S2003 and S2009 of atransmission/reception process of the parent device shown in FIG. 29 inthe embodiment, and broadcasts the parent device packet including aparent device number PID as the user's own apparatus identifyinginformation, and a game name GameName as game identifying information.

In addition, the child device receives the above-described parent devicepacket by the receiver shown in a step S4001 in FIG. 32 of theembodiment. Based on this parent device packet, in a step S15 in FIG.20, for example, the parent device list is created, and in a step S23 ora step S25 in FIG. 20, the parent device list is displayed on an LCD(18).

A user of the child device looks at a game name in the parent devicelist, for example, and operates a cross key of an operation key (38)forming a selector in steps of S79 and S151 in FIG. 21 so as to selectone desired parent device from the parent device list. Then, a step S83in FIG. 24, that is, a connecting process of the child device in FIG. 30and FIG. 31 is executed. By means of a connection request transmitterthat corresponds to a step S3023 (FIG. 31) transmitting a child devicenumber CID of the user's own apparatus to an E slot, the connectionrequest is transmitted toward the parent device.

Therefore, this allows the child device to arbitrarily determine whetherto connect to any one of the parent devices displayed in the parentdevice list created from the parent device packet.

In a certain embodiment, the broadcasting circuitry broadcasts theparent device packet even during a time that a communication game isbeing executed with another child device. This, more specifically,corresponds to FIG. 29, and the child device is capable of obtaininginformation (PID, game name, and etc.) in the parent device executingthe wireless communication game. This allows the child device to knowthe existence of the parent device associated with the child device thatintends to make a new participation, for example, so that it is possibleto participate in the middle of the game play.

In another embodiment, the parent device and the child device areapparatus for making a wireless communication in a predeterminedcommunication cycle. The communication cycle includes a first time slotused by the parent device, and a second time slot used by the childdevice. The broadcasting circuitry transmits the parent device packetincluding game data in the first time slot. That is, the first time slotis a parent device slot, and the second time slot is a child deviceslot. Furthermore, the broadcasting circuitry broadcasts the parentdevice packet including payload data shown in FIG. 11 (step S2003).Therefore, the parent device always broadcasts the parent device packet,thus the child device is capable of obtaining the latest information onall parent devices existing within a communicable range.

In a certain embodiment, the display displays in the parent device listonly the parent device that executes a game communicable with the gameexecuted by the user's own apparatus, based on the game identifyinginformation received by the receiver. In a case that the game apparatusis an apparatus to which a game cartridge storing a game program isdetachably attached, for example, the display displays in the parentdevice list the parent device only when the game of the game cartridgeattached to the parent device is communicable with the game of the gamecartridge attached to the child device. More specifically, as shown inFIG. 4, only the parent device capable of executing the gamecommunicable with the user's own apparatus is displayed in the parentdevice list. Therefore, by means of a display of the parent deviceexecuting a game not communicable with the user's own apparatus beingomitted, it becomes easy for a player of the child device to select theparent device.

In another embodiment, the child device is an apparatus to which a gamecartridge storing a game program is detachably attached. The displaydisplays in the parent device list a parent device that executes a gamenot communicable with the game of the game cartridge currently attachedthereto. More specifically, the game cartridge corresponds to acartridge 16 shown in FIG. 1, and the cartridge 16 stores a game programwithin a ROM 42. Therefore, the game program cannot execute other gameprograms. However, even in a case that the cartridge currently attachedis a cartridge not communicable with the parent device, it becomescommunicable if changed to another cartridge. Thus, by displaying theparent device currently not communicable, it becomes possible toencourage to change the cartridge.

In still another embodiment, the parent device packet further includesentry reception data showing whether or not to receive a new entry ofthe child device. The display displays in the parent device list onlythe parent device that receives the new entry of the child device, basedon the entry reception data received by the receiver. More specifically,the entry reception data corresponds to data other than “ffh” of the Eslot, and therefore, the child device displays the parent device thatsets the data other than “ffh” in the E slot of the parent device packetas shown in FIG. 3 in a step S23 or S25 (FIG. 20). Therefore, bydisplaying only the parent device that receives the new entry of thechild device, wasted information (information on the parent device notcommunicable) of the parent device is omitted, thus allowing a player ofthe child device to easily select the parent device.

In yet another embodiment, the parent device further comprises a childdevice-use program storage locations for storing a child device-useprogram, and a child device-use program transmitter for transmitting, inresponse to a connection request from the child device (the child deviceis an apparatus to which the game cartridge is detachably attached, forexample, and in response to a request from the child device to which thegame cartridge is not attached), the child device-use program to thechild device. The parent device packet further includes child device-useprogram holding data showing whether or not it is being provided withthe child device-use program storage locations. In a case of showingthat the child device-use program holding data is provided with thechild device-use program, the display displays in the parent device listthe parent device irrespective of the game, which is executed by theuser's own apparatus, based on the child device-use program holding datareceived by the receiver. More specifically, the child device-useprogram storage locations corresponds to an area 76 in FIG. 16, and thechild device-use program is transferred from the parent device to thechild device in a step S77 in FIG. 19 (receiving process of the childdevice is a step S145 in FIG. 26). Therefore, the child device activatesthe child device-use program, and is capable of playing a game in thatOC mode. Herein, in this embodiment, the parent device having the childdevice-use program holding data (in the embodiment, OC flag) “1” isdisplayed as shown in FIG. 5. That is, the parent device stores not onlya user's own apparatus (for the parent device) program but also thechild device-use program, and transmits the program to the child devicesince the child device receives and executes that program, it is notnecessary to have a game program on the child device side. In addition,since the child device is capable of knowing the parent device capableof playing the OC-mode-use game, it is possible to easily play the gameeven if the cartridge is not attached.

In addition, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the parentdevice stores both a first program not requiring the child device totransmit the child device-use program, and a second program requiringthe child device to transmit the child device-use program. The parentdevice packet further includes execution type data showing whichprogram, the first program or the second program, the parent deviceexecutes. Regarding the parent device executing the first program, thedisplay displays in the parent device list only the parent device thatexecutes a game communicable with the game executed by the user's ownapparatus, based on the execution type data received by the receiver,and regarding the parent device executing the second program, displaysin the parent device list irrespective of the game, which is executed bythe user's own apparatus. More specifically, a cartridge 16 shown inFIG. 16 is attached to the parent device, and this cartridge stores boththe first program (normal mode game program), and the second program (OCmode-use game program), and the execution type data showing which isexecuting, the first program or the second program, that is, “1” or “0”indicated by an OC flag in the embodiment, is transmitted to the parentdevice packet. Therefore, regarding the parent device having the OC flag“1”, the child device displays only the parent device communicable withthe parent device, and regarding the parent device having the OC flag“0”, all parent devices are displayed irrespective of the game, which isexecuted by the user's own apparatus. That is, only the information ofthe parent device communicable with the parent device or in a statecapable of transmitting the child device-use program (second program isbeing executed) is displayed so that wasted information on the parentdevice (information on the parent device not communicable, and etc.) isomitted. This allows a player to easily select the parent device.

In an exemplary embodiment, the child device is an apparatus to which agame cartridge storing a game program is detachably attached. Thedisplay displays, in a case where the game cartridge is not attached, inthe parent device list only the parent device provided with the childdevice-use program storage locations, based on the child device-useprogram holding data received by the receiver. Similar to anabove-described embodiment, only the parent device holding theOC-mode-use game program is displayed. Therefore, in a case where thegame cartridge is not attached, the child device displays only theinformation on the parent device capable of transmitting the childdevice-use program. This allows a player using the child device toeasily select the parent device.

In still another embodiment, the present invention further comprises:parent device list storage locations for storing a parent device list ofthe parent device existing within a communicable range, based on theparent device packet received by the receiver; and a parent device listclearing mechanism for regularly clearing the parent device list storedin the parent device list storage locations. The display displays basedin the parent device list stored in the parent device list storagelocations. More specifically, the parent device list is displayed basedon the parent device list storage locations (which corresponds to aparent device list area 80 in FIG. 18), and the parent device list isregularly cleared using a parent device list clear timer 82 (FIG. 18),for example. This excludes the parent device beyond the communicablerange, and enables surely informing a user or a player of the onlyparent device existing within a communicable range of the child deviceat that time.

A child device connecting method in a wireless communication game systemaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a childdevice connecting method in the wireless communication game system usinga plurality of mobile game apparatuses that function as a parent deviceor a child device capable of communicating with each other, and includesfollowing steps of (a) broadcasting from the parent device a parentdevice packet including user's own apparatus identifying information forallowing the user's own apparatus to be identified, and game identifyinginformation for allowing a game executed by the user's own apparatus tobe identified, (b) receiving in the child device the parent devicepacket from the parent device existing within a communicable range, (c)displaying in the child device a parent device list of the parent deviceexisting within a communicable range, based on the parent device packetreceived by the receiving step, (d) allowing in the child device aplayer to select any one of the parent devices included in the parentdevice list, and (e) transmitting in the child device a connectionrequest toward the selected parent device.

A program of a wireless communication game system according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention is a program of a wirelesscommunication game system using a plurality of mobile game apparatusesthat function as a parent device or a child device capable ofcommunicating with each other, and allows a processor of the mobile gameapparatus to execute following steps: (a) allowing the processor of theparent device to broadcast a parent device packet including user's ownapparatus identifying information for identifying the user's ownapparatus, and game identifying information for allowing a game executedby the user's own apparatus to be identified, (b) allowing the processorof the child device to receive the parent device packet from the parentdevice existing within a communicable range, (c) allowing the processorof the child device to display a parent device list of the parent deviceexisting within a communicable range, based on the parent device packetreceived by the step (b), (d) allowing the processor of the child deviceto make a player select any one of the parent devices included in theparent device list, and (e) allowing the processor of the child deviceto transmit a connection request toward the selected parent device.

A mobile game apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention uses a plurality of mobile game apparatuses, any oneof which functions as a parent device, and the other of which functionsas a child device, both capable of playing a wireless communicationgame. This mobile game apparatus comprises: broadcasting circuitry, forthe parent device (for functioning as the parent device), forbroadcasting a parent device packet including user's own apparatusidentifying information for allowing the user's own apparatus to beidentified, and game identifying information for allowing a gameexecuted by the user's own apparatus to be identified; a receiver; adisplay; a selector; and a transmitter, for the child device (forfunctioning as the child device). The receiver receives the parentdevice packet from the parent device existing within a communicablerange. The display displays a parent device list of the parent deviceexisting within a communicable range, based on the parent device packetreceived by the receiver. The selector allows a player to select any oneof the parent devices included in the parent device list. Thetransmitter transmits a connection request toward the selected parentdevice.

In the child device connecting method, the program, the mobile gameapparatus, similar to the wireless communication game system, it has anadvantage that the child device is capable of knowing the parent deviceexisting within a communicable range, and easily selecting andconnecting a desired parent device.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, since theparent device broadcasts the parent device information, it is possiblethat the child device knows what kind of parent devices exist within acommunicable range (that is, it is possible to know the parent devicecapable of playing a communication game). In addition, the child deviceis capable of arbitrarily determining which parent device to connect.

In a case of a wireless communication game, the mobile game apparatus isfreely carried, and therefore, the mobile game apparatus existing withina communicable range progressively changes. According to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention, however, it is possible to knowinformation on the mobile game apparatus existing within a communicablerange. This makes it possible to freely determine an intended partnerwith whom to play the wireless communication game.

In addition, there is a case that an apparatus of a unknown strangercomes into a communicable range. In this case, too, it is possible toknow the information, thus making it possible to play the wirelesscommunication game with the unknown stranger.

The above described objects and other objects, features, aspects andadvantages of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description of thepresent invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one example of a mobile game apparatusused for a wireless transmission game system of one embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an illustrative view for schematically showing a game systemusing the mobile game apparatus in the FIG. 1 embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an illustrative view showing an example of a display screen ina case that an all-display flag, which displays information of allparent devices around a user's own apparatus in the FIG. 2 embodiment,is turned on;

FIG. 4 is an illustrative view showing an example of a display screenshowing only the parent device existing around the user's own apparatusand capable of performing a communication game between the user's ownapparatus, in a case that the all-display flag is not turned on, in theFIG. 2 embodiment;

FIG. 5 is an illustrative view showing an example of a display screenshowing only the parent device present around the user's own apparatusand capable of playing a game in an OC (one cartridge) mode, in the FIG.2 embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an illustrative view showing an example of a display screen ofa parent device list in a certain situation in the FIG. 2 embodiment;

FIG. 7 is an illustrative view showing an example of a display screen ofthe parent device list when a mobile game apparatus having a user's name“Siroh” enters a communication range in the FIG. 6 situation in the FIG.2 embodiment;

FIG. 8 is an illustrative view showing an example of a display screen ofthe parent device list when the mobile game apparatus having a user'sname “Ichiroh” comes out of the communication range in the FIG. 7situation in the FIG. 2 embodiment;

FIG. 9 is an illustrative view showing an example of a display screen ofa child device list of a situation in which the user's own apparatus isthe parent device, and to wait for a connection (entry) of the childdevice in the FIG. 2 embodiment;

FIG. 10 is an illustrative view showing one example of a data cycle inthe FIG. 2 embodiment;

FIG. 11 is an illustrative view showing one example of a parent devicepacket transmitted at a parent device slot in the FIG. 10 embodiment;

FIG. 12 is an illustrative view showing a U slot in detail in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an illustrative view showing one example of a child devicepacket transmitted at a child device slot in the FIG. 10 embodiment;

FIG. 14 is an illustrative view showing a specific example ofcommunication data in a certain situation of the FIG. 1 embodiment;

FIG. 15 is an illustrative view showing one example of a memory map of acartridge not applicable to the OC mode;

FIG. 16 is an illustrative view showing one example of the memory map ofa cartridge applicable to the OC mode;

FIG. 17 is an illustrative view showing one example of the memory map ofan EEPROM included in the wireless communication unit of the FIG. 1embodiment;

FIG. 18 is an illustrative view showing one example of the memory map ofan internal RAM of a mobile game machine forming the mobile gameapparatus in the FIG. 1 embodiment;

FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing a part of a main flow showing anoperation of the mobile game machine in the FIG. 1 embodiment;

FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing a succeeding part of FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing a succeeding part of FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing a succeeding part of FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing a succeeding part of FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing a succeeding part of FIG. 21;

FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing a succeeding part of FIG. 19;

FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing a succeeding part of FIG. 25;

FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing a part of an operation of a connectionprocess of a parent device;

FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing a succeeding part of FIG. 27;

FIG. 29 is a flowchart showing an operation of a transmission/receptionprocess of the parent device;

FIG. 30 is a flowchart showing a part of an operation of a connectionprocess of a child device;

FIG. 31 is a flowchart showing a succeeding part of FIG. 30;

FIG. 32 is a flowchart showing an operation of a transmission/receptionprocess of the child device;

FIG. 33 is a flowchart showing an operation of a restoring process ofthe child device; and

FIG. 34 is a flowchart showing a major portion of an embodiment in whicha selection is made as to whether the user's own apparatus is renderedthe parent device or the child device in the first place.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A wireless communication game system to which an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention is adapted uses a mobile game apparatus 10 asshown in FIG. 1 as an example. In this embodiment, the mobile gameapparatus 10 includes a mobile game machine 12 such as a GameBoy Advance(Trademark), for example, a wireless communication unit 14 connected toa communication connector 46 of the mobile game machine 12, and acartridge 16 connected to a cartridge connector 40. That is, in thisembodiment, the mobile game apparatus 10 is constructed of the mobilegame machine 12, the wireless communication unit 14, and the cartridge16.

The mobile game machine 12 shown in FIG. 1 includes a processor 20, andthe processor 20 includes a CPU core 22 and a boot ROM 24 relatedthereto, an LCD controller 26, a WRAM (working RAM: the same below) 28,a VRAM 30, and a peripheral circuit 32. The peripheral circuit 32includes a voice (sound) circuit, a DMA (Direct Memory Access) circuit,a timer circuit, an input/output interface (I/O), and etc. In an LCD 18provided in a front surface of the mobile game machine 12, a displayingsignal or an RGB signal in this embodiment is applied from the processor20, and therefore, a game image is displayed in color on the LCD 18. Inaddition, an audio signal is applied from the processor 20 to the soundcircuit 34, and voices or sound such as a game music and a sound effectis output by the audio signal. Furthermore, by way of example, a crosskey and a start key provided sandwiching the LCD 18 in the front surfaceof the mobile game machine 12, a select key, an A button and a B buttonare congregated and are represented as operation key/switch 38.Operation signals from the operation switch 38 are input into theprocessor 20. Therefore, the processor 20 executes a process inaccordance with an instruction of a user applied through the operationswitch 38.

The mobile game machine 12 has the cartridge connector 40, and thecartridge 16 is connected or inserted into this cartridge connector 40.The cartridge 16 contains a ROM 42 and a backup RAM 44, and a gameprogram for a game to be executed in the mobile game machine 12, inaddition to its game name, is set in the ROM 42 in advance. The backupRAM 44 stores progressive data of the game and resultant data of thegame.

The mobile game machine 12 is further provided with a communicationconnector 46, and a connector 48 of the wireless communication unit 14is connected to the communication connector 46. It is noted that themobile game machine 12 used in this embodiment is GameBoy Advance(Trademark) as an example. GameBoy Advance is a commercially availablehand-held video game platform, which in copending application Ser. No.09/863,866 (published on Nov. 29, 2001 as US 2001/0047452) which ishereby incorporated herein by reference. In this case, theabove-described cartridge connector 40 is a 32-pin connector provided ata far side on an upper surface when the LCD 18 is rendered a frontsurface (front face), and the communication connector 46 is a 6-pinconnector provided at a near side on an upper side.

The wireless communication unit 14 includes a base band IC 50, and thebase band IC 50 includes a ROM 52. The ROM 52 contains an OCD(One-Cartridge Download) program, and other programs, for example, andthe base band IC 50 is operated according to these programs. It is notedthat the One-Cartridge Download program is a program for downloading aprogram into the child device in an OC mode (one-cartridge mode: a modein which a game cartridge is attached to the parent device only, and thechild device is operated in response to a download of a child device-useprogram from the parent device cartridge).

The wireless communication unit 14 is further provided with an EEPROM54, and a user's name, for example, is uniquely set to the EEPROM 54.The base band (Base Band) IC 50 transmits data including the user's nameto an RF (Radio Frequency)-IC 56, the RF-IC 56 modulates the data, andtransmits a radio wave from an antenna 58. However, in an exemplaryembodiment, the an intensity of the radio wave is extremely weak, and isset to so small a value that this wave radio is not subject to legalregulation. In addition, this wireless communication unit 14 is providedwith a power circuit 60. Typically, the power circuit 60 is a battery,and supplies a DC (direct-current) power source to each component of thewireless communication unit 14.

In addition, in the wireless communication unit 14, the radio wavetransmitted from another mobile game apparatus is received by theantenna 58, demodulated by the RF-IC 56, and a demodulated signal isinput into the base band IC 50. Therefore, the base band IC 50 decodesthe demodulated signal, decodes the data, and transmits the data to themobile game machine 12, that is, the WRAM 28 via the connectors 48 and46.

In the wireless communication game system of an embodiment according tothe present invention, a plurality of mobile game units 10 as shown inFIG. 1 are used. A dotted line 64 in FIG. 2 indicates a communicablerange of a user's mobile game apparatus 62. In addition, it is probablethat the mobile game apparatus 62 can apply for an entry to the mobilegame apparatus existing within the communicable range 64. Thiscommunicable range 64 is a range capable of performing a datacommunication between the parent device and the child device by theabove-described weak radio wave, and any of a plurality of the mobilegame apparatuses existing within the communicable range 64 canarbitrarily become the parent device or the child device. In the exampleof FIG. 1, four parent devices, three child devices, and one user's ownapparatus 62 exist within the range 64.

In addition, in a case that the user's own apparatus 62 participates ina game, the apparatus 62 needs to become the parent device or the childdevice. In a case that the user's own apparatus becomes the childdevice, it is necessary to find a parent device capable ofparticipating. When finding the parent device, it is necessary to find adifferent parent device depending on a case that the user's ownapparatus has the cartridge 16.

First, in a case that the user's own apparatus 62 is the mobile gameapparatus to which the cartridge 16 is attached shown in FIG. 1, and anall-display flag showing to display all parent devices around the user'sown apparatus 62 (described later) is set to “1”, a parent device list18 A as shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the LCD 18 of the mobile gamemachine 12 show in FIG. 1. In the parent device list 18 A in FIG. 3, allparent devices existing within the communicable range 64 (FIG. 2), thatis, three parent devices having the user's names as “Taroh”, “Ichiroh”,and “Jiroh”, respectively, are displayed. Therefore, when the user ofthe user's own apparatus intends to operate or function the user's ownapparatus as the child device, the user is capable of selecting theparent device to which the user intends to connect by moving a cursor bythe cross key included in the operation key 38 (FIG. 1) so as to specifythe parent device, and after this, depressing the A button that is alsoincluded in the operation key 38.

However, in a case that it is intended to use the user's own apparatusas the parent device, the user may simply depress a B button included inthe operation key 38.

The reason why only the three parent devices are displayed in the parentdevice list 18A in FIG. 3, in spite of the four parent devices existingwithin the range 64 in FIG. 2 is that the parent device having the username “Saburoh” has an entry slot ESlot set to “ffh”. The entry slotESlot is a flag showing whether or not to accept a new child device, andwhen the entry slot ESlot is set to “ffh”, the parent device refuses anew participation of the child device so that such the parent device isnot displayed. The parent device having the user name “Saburoh” hasreached the maximum number of child devices available for entry, thusnot accepting the new child device.

In addition, in the parent device list 18A in FIG. 3, a circle (O) isadded to the parent device having the user name “Jiroh”. This circle (O)indicates that it is possible to play the game in the OC mode.

Furthermore, when the all-display flag is turned-off, the parent devicelist 18A shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the LCD 18. In this case, thegame cartridge of the user's own apparatus such as a parent devicecommunicable with Mario Kart-1 (Trademark), for example, that is, onlythe parent device having the user name “Jiroh” in this example, isdisplayed. Because a cartridge of Mario Kart-2 (Trademark) is attachedto the parent device having the user name “Taroh”, and the Mario Kart-1(Trademark) and the Mario Kart-2 (Trademark) are communicable with eachother. It is noted that if there is a parent device to which thecartridge of the Mario Kart-1 (Trademark) is attached within thecommunicable range 64, that parent device, too, is displayed withoutquestion.

In the above-described example, the cartridge of Mario Kart-1(Trademark) is attached to the user's own apparatus (child device).However, in a case of intending to play the game in the OC mode withoutthe cartridge 16 being attached to the user's own apparatus, a parentdevice list 18A shown in FIG. 5, for example, is displayed on the LCD18. In the parent device list 18A in this FIG. 5, only the parent devicecorresponding to the OC mode, that is, the parent device having the username “Jiroh”, is displayed in this example (“F-ZERO” (Trademark) is agame corresponding to the OC mode). However, the cartridge 16 is notattached to the user's own apparatus in this case, and thus, the user'sown apparatus cannot become the parent device. Therefore, a message thatsays “depress button B if you want to become the parent device” shown inFIG. 3 or FIG. 4 is not displayed.

Next, referring to FIG. 6-FIG. 8, descriptions will be made regarding achange of the display of the user's own apparatus 62 in a case that theparent device having the user name “Shiroh” enters the communicablerange 64 shown in FIG. 2, and later, the parent device having the username “Ichiroh” comes out of the range 64. In a case that the parentdevice having the user name “Shiroh” is outside the range, the sameparent device list 18A as FIG. 3 is displayed on the LCD 18 of theuser's own apparatus as shown in FIG. 6.

Subsequently, when the parent device having the user name “Shiroh”enters the range, a parent device list 18A shown in FIG. 7 is displayed.It is noted that it is assumed that the all-display flag of the user'sown apparatus 62 is turned-on. That is, the parent device having theuser name “Shiroh” is displayed in addition to the parent devices havingthe user name “Taroh”, “Ichiroh”, and “Jiroh”, respectively.

Furthermore, when the parent device having the user name “Ichiroh” comesoutside the range 64, a parent device list 18A in FIG. 8 is displayed.The parent device having the user name “Ichiroh” is not displayed inthis parent device list.

In addition, in a case that the user's own apparatus is the parentdevice, and waits for a new participation of the child device, a childdevice list 18B shown in FIG. 9 is displayed on the LCD 18. Looking atthis child device list 18B allows to know that child devices having theuser name “Goroh”, “Rokuroh”, and “Hichiroh”, respectively are currentlyconnected to the user's own apparatus. Herein, it is noted that sincethis embodiment is a wireless communication game system that processesthe game by making a wireless communication between the parent deviceand the child device by a extremely weak radio wave, a term “connect” isnot essentially to be used. However, as a term to describe acoordinating state communicable between the mobile game apparatus, whichbecomes the parent device, and the mobile game apparatus, which becomesthe child device, the term “connect” is used for the sake ofconvenience, by borrowing a term used in a case of a wire communication.

Next, referring to FIG. 10-FIG. 14, descriptions will be made regardingdata packet formats in a case that the parent device and the childdevice, which are in a connecting state, make a wireless communication.As shown in FIG. 10, one data cycle is two milliseconds, and the datacycle includes one parent device slot and a plurality of (in thisembodiment, four) child device slots. In the parent device slot, aparent device packet specifically shown in FIG. 11 is broadcast, and ineach of the four child device slots, a transmission of the child devicepacket specifically shown in FIG. 13 to the parent device is performed.

The parent device packet, as shown in FIG. 11, has a field sync forstoring synchronizing data at its head, and has a field PID for storinga number (identifying code) PID of the parent device subsequent to thatsynchronizing data field sync. Subsequent to the field PID, a user namefield UserName, and a game name field GameName are formed. In the username field UserName, a user name read-out from the EEPROM 54 (FIG. 1),which corresponds to “Jiroh”, “Ichiroh”, and etc. in the above-describedexample, is registered, and in the game name field GameName, the gamename such as the Mario Kart-1 (Trademark), Mario kart-2 (Trademark), theF-Zero (Trademark), Golf, . . . in the above-described example, areregistered. It is noted that if the cartridge 16 (FIG. 1) is attached, agame name (68 in FIG. 16) read-out from the ROM 42 (FIG. 1) may beautomatically registered in this game name field GameName.

The parent device packet further includes a flag OC, and this flag OC isa flag showing whether or not possible to be applied to theabove-described one cartridge (OC) mode. More specifically, when thisflag OC is reset, that is, when OC=0, this means that the game cartridgeof the parent device at that time is not applicable to the OC mode, orapplicable to the OC mode, however, it is currently played in the normalmode. When the flag OC is set, that is, when OC=1, this means that it ispossible to be applicable to the OC mode, and it is currently played inthe OC mode. Therefore, a user who does not have the cartridge needs tofind the parent device having this flag OC “1”.

Subsequent to the flag OC, the parent device packet includes fieldsESlot, USlot, and Payload in this order. The E slot field Eslot isstored with the number of the child device slots available for entry(participation). That is, the slot number that a newly participatedchild device can use is stored. In the U slot field USlot, a usagesituation of the child device slot is stored. More specifically, this isshown in FIG. 12. That is, the U slot field USlot includes four areas,and each of four areas corresponds to a child device slot 0, a childdevice slot 1, a child device slot 2, and a child device slot 3. Then,in each area, the number (identifying code) CID of the child device towhich the child device slot is assigned is stored. When the child devicenumber CID corresponding to the area is registered, it is understoodthat that child device slot is used.

The payload field Payload is a field for transmitting the game datanecessary in a game process, and a field for storing the game datatransmitted from the parent device to the child device.

A child device packet transmitted from the child device at the childdevice slot assigned to the child device is displayed in FIG. 13. Thatis, the child device packet includes a head field CID for storing orregistering the child device number CID, and a payload field Payloadsubsequent thereto. The payload field Payload is a field for storinggame data transmitted from the child device to the parent device.

FIG. 14 shows a specific example. In the example of FIG. 14, “58” isstored in the parent device number field PID, and therefore, it isunderstood that the parent device number PID is “58”. In addition, it isunderstood that the user name of the parent device is “Taroh”, the gamename is Mario Kart (Trademark), the flag OC is “0”, and “2” isregistered in the E slot field ESlot. Furthermore, by referring to the Uslot field USlot, it is understood that although the child device havingthe child device number (CID) “16” is connected to the child device slot0, and the child device having the child device number (CID) “130” tothe child device slot 1, respectively, both the child devices 2 and 3are “0h”, thus possible to know that the both are vacant slots.

In a case that a new child device attempts to connect (Entry) to theparent device under such the situation, the child device number isdetermined by issuing the child device number CID other than “16” or“130” such as a random number, for example, because, by referring to theU slot field USLot of the parent device, “16” and “130” are used as thechild device CID. As one example, it is provided that “86” is determinedas the CID of the child device. Therefore, the child device transmitsCID=86 to the child device slot (child device slot 2) designated by theESlot.

Then, the parent device knows, by receiving “86” in the child deviceslot 2, that the child device having the child device number CID “86”intends to apply for entry. Next, the parent device determines whetheror not to accept that entry. In a case of accepting the entry, theparent device broadcasts the parent device packet having “86” set to thearea corresponding to the child device slot 2 of the Uslot, which isshown in the lowest column in FIG. 14, and signals that a newparticipation of the child device having the child device number CID“86” is accepted. At the same time, the newly participated child deviceconfirms that CID=86 is present as its own child device number in thearea corresponding to the child device slot 2 of the Uslot.

FIG. 15 shows a memory map of the cartridge not applicable to the OCmode, and FIG. 16 shows a memory map of the cartridge applicable to theOC mode.

In the FIG. 15 embodiment, the ROM 42 (FIG. 1) included in the cartridge16 includes a game program area 62, and a game name area 64. In the gameprogram area 62, a common program 66, a parent device program 68, and achild device program 70 are stored in advance. The common program 66 isa program used in spite of the user's own apparatus being the parentdevice or the child device. That is, in a case that the user's ownapparatus is the parent device, the common program and a parent deviceprogram described later are executed, and in a case that the user's ownapparatus is the child device, the common program and a child deviceprogram described later are executed. The parent device program 68 is aprogram operated only when the user's own apparatus functions as theparent device, and in addition to including variables M and N, includesthe flag OC set to “0” (that is, turned-off). However, the variable Mindicates the maximum number of the child devices possible tosimultaneously connect to the parent device, and the variable Nindicates the maximum number of slots that one child device can use. Itis noted that both the variables M and N change dependent on to thegame. The child device program 70 is a program operated only when theuser's own apparatus is functioned as the child device, and includes theabove-described variable N. In the game name area 64, a name of theabove game programs such as Mario Kart-1 (Trademark), Golf, . . . , andetc. is stored in advance.

In an embodiment in FIG. 16, the ROM 42 of the cartridge 16 includes thegame program area 62 and the game name area 64. In the game name programarea 62, the same common program 66, the parent device program 68, andthe child device program 70 as in FIG. 15 are set, and an OC mode-usegame program 72 is set in order to be applicable to the OC mode. The OCmode-use game program 72 includes a parent device program 74, and atransmission-use child device program 76. The parent device program 74is the same as the above parent device program 68 except that the flagOC is set to “1”. The transmission-use child device program 76 is aprogram for transferring to the child device that plays the game in theOC mode, and includes the variable N. The child device that applies forentry in the OC mode is capable of participating in the game byreceiving this transmission-use child device program 76 transmitted(downloaded) from the parent device.

The memory map of the EEPROM 54 of the wireless communication unit 14shown in FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 17, and as shown in FIG. 17, the EEPROM54 includes a user name area 78. In the user name area 78, the user namesuch as “Taroh”, “Ichiroh”, . . . , or the like as in theabove-described example, is registered.

Referring to the memory map shown in FIG. 18, the WRAM 28 of the gamemachine 12 (FIG. 12) includes a parent device list area 80, a parentdevice list clear timer 82, a child device list area 84, variable areas86 and 88, a game variable area 90, a transmission buffer area 92, and areception buffer area 94.

The parent device list area 80 is an area for temporarilystoring/holding the data for displaying the parent device list 18Adescribed earlier in FIG. 3, and etc. such as the parent device number(PID), the user name (UserName), the game name (GameName), the flag OC,the E slot field ESlot, for example.

The parent device list clear timer 82 is a timer for measuring a timeperiod until clearing the data of this parent device list area 80, andas described later, if a time set to this timer 82 is up, the parentdevice list area 80 is automatically cleared.

The child device list area 84 is an area for temporarily storing/holdingthe data for displaying the child device list 18B described earlier inFIG. 9 and etc., such as the child device number (CID), the user name(UserName), and the game name (GameName), for example.

The WRAM 28 further includes the parent device variable area 86 forstoring a variable used when the user's own apparatus is operated(behaves) as the parent device, and the child device variable area 88for storing a variable used when the user's own apparatus is operated(behaves) as the child device.

In the parent device variable area 86, data for the respective fieldsPID, USlot, and ESlot and the child device number (CID) of the childdevice subject to connection, and in addition, variables n and m areset. Herein, the variable n indicates the number of slots currently andactually assigned to one child device, and its maximum number is appliedby the above-described variable N. In addition, the variable m indicatesthe number of the child devices currently, actually and simultaneouslyconnected to one parent device, and its maximum number is applied by theabove-described variable M.

In the child device variable area 88, data for the field CID shown inFIG. 12 is set, for example, and a variable showing a connection result,a variable showing a restoring result, the parent device number (PID) ofa connection-destination parent device, the number of acquired slots(one or plural number), a synchronizing timer, the variable n, andfurthermore, the all-display flag are set.

The game variable area 90 is an area for storing game variables of thegame being executed such as variables showing the number of clearedstages, an acquired item, and etc, for example. In addition, atransmission buffer 92 and a reception buffer 94 are areas fortemporarily storing transmitting data and receiving data, respectively.

More than one mobile game apparatuses 10 each of which has such thestructure constructs the game system, and descriptions regarding anoperation of each mobile game apparatus 10 in the game system are madebelow by referring to flow charts.

Prior to the detailed descriptions, in a case that the cartridge notapplicable to the OC mode is attached to the user's own apparatus, andthe user's own apparatus becomes the parent device, a series of stepsS29 (FIG. 21)-S69 (FIG. 23) described later are executed. In addition,in a case that the cartridge not applicable to the OC mode is attachedto the user's own apparatus, and the user's own apparatus becomes thechild device, a series of steps S83-S109 (FIG. 24) described later areexecuted.

Furthermore, in a case that although the cartridge applicable to the OCmode is attached to the user's own apparatus, the game is played in thenormal mode (not OC mode), when the user's own apparatus becomes theparent device, a series of the steps S29 (FIG. 21)-S69 (FIG. 23)described later are executed. When the user's own apparatus becomes thechild device similar to the above, a series of the steps S83-S109 (FIG.24) described later are executed.

Moreover, in a case that the cartridge applicable to the OC mode isattached to the user's own apparatus, and the game is played in the OCmode, the user's own apparatus cannot function other than the parentdevice. In this case, via steps S75 and S77 (FIG. 19), similar to theabove case of the parent device, a series of the steps S29 shown in FIG.21-S69 shown in FIG. 23 are executed.

In addition, in a case that the cartridge is not attached to the user'sown apparatus, the user's own apparatus can only become the child devicein the OC mode, and therefore, in this case, a series of steps S111(FIG. 19)-S147 (FIG. 26) are executed.

FIG. 19 shows an operation of the mobile game machine 12. When a powersource (not shown) of the mobile game machine 12 is turned-on, anoperation in FIG. 19 is started. First, an operation set within the BootROM 24 is executed. That is, in a first step S1, the processor 20, basedon a signal from the connector 40 (FIG. 1), for example, detects whetheror not the cartridge 16 is attached, and in a case that there is thecartridge in a step S3, the process moves to a program of the ROM 42 ofthe cartridge 16. In a succeeding step S5, it is determined whether ornot the cartridge is a cartridge applicable to the OC mode. In this stepS5, it is determined whether the cartridge in FIG. 15 (cartridge notapplicable to the OC mode) is attached or the cartridge in FIG. 16(cartridge applicable to the OC mode) is attached.

In a case that “NO” is determined in the step S5, that is, in a casethat although the cartridge is attached to the user's own apparatus, thecartridge is a cartridge not applicable to the OC mode, the processadvances to a step S7 in FIG. 20, in addition to clearing the parentdevice list area 80 shown in FIG. 18, resets the parent device listclear timer 82 similarly shown in FIG. 18. Furthermore, the all-displayflag set to the child device variable area 88 in FIG. 18 is turned-on(“1” is set). It is noted that the parent device clear timer 82automatically starts counting the timer after the resetting.

Subsequently, in a step S9, it is attempted to receive the parent devicepacket as shown in FIG. 11. In the step S11, it is determined whether ornot the parent device packet is successfully received. Then, if “YES” isdetermined in the step S11, in a succeeding step S13, it is determinedwhether or not the parent device that broadcasts is the parent devicenot existing in the parent device list. More specifically, in this stepS13, it is determined whether or not the parent device PID and the username out of the data of the received parent device packet (datatemporarily stored in the reception buffer 94 of the WRAM 28 shown inFIG. 18) is the parent device registered in the parent device list 80(FIG. 18). If “YES” is determined in this step S13, that is, in a caseof a new parent device, in a succeeding step S15, the processor 20 newlyregisters in the parent device list 80 the parent device ID (PID), theuser name (UserName), the game name (GameName), the OC flag (OC), andthe entry slot (ESlot) included in the parent device packet.

When “NO” is determined in the preceding step S11, or when afterfinishing registration in the step S15, in a succeeding step S17, it isdetermined whether or not a value of the parent device list clear timer82 reset in the preceding step S7 becomes equal to or longer than twoseconds. If “YES”, the parent device list 80 is cleared in a step S19,and the parent device list clear timer 82 is reset. Herein, the reasonwhy the parent device list clear timer 82 is reset is that as describedabove, by referring to FIG. 8, in a case that a certain parent device(“Jiroh” in FIG. 8) comes out of the communicable range, it is necessaryto delete the parent device from the parent device list 80. Therefore,by regularly (every two seconds in this embodiment) clearing the parentdevice list 80 and making a registration to the list of the parentdevice existing within the communicable range from the start, the parentdevice that comes out of the communicable range is not remained in theparent device list. When “NO” is determined in the step S17, or afterexecuting the step S19, in a succeeding step S21, the processor 20determines whether or not the above-described whole display flag isturned-on (“1”). It is noted that in this embodiment, this whole displayflag is set to “1” or turn-on as a default. When the all-display flag isturned-on, in a step S23, the parent device having the entry slot ESlotnot “ffh” out of the parent devices registered in the parent devicelist, that is, information (more specifically, the user name UserName,and the game name GameName) on all the parent devices that accept anewentry of the child device is displayed as shown in FIG. 3. When theall-display flag is turned-off (“0”), in a step S25, information (theuser name UserName and the game name GameName) of the parent devicehaving the entry slot ESlot not “ffh”, and that is communicable (thatis, the game of the cartridge of the parent device and the game of thecartridge of the child device are in a predetermined relationship, andcommunicable with each other), out of the parent devices registered inthe base list, is displayed as shown in FIG. 4.

Subsequently, the process advances to a step S27 in FIG. 21, and theprocessor 20 refers to a signal from the operation key 38 so as todetermine whether or not the B button (not shown) is depressed. That theB button is depressed means that the user of the mobile game apparatusdetermines to make the user's own apparatus behave as the parent device,and in this case, in order to accept the child device within thevariables M and N, a parent device connection process of a step S29 isexecuted. It is noted that the variable N indicating the maximum numberof slots applied to one child device and the variable M indicating themaximum number of child devices possible to participate are changeabledepending on the game, respectively. In order to increase the maximumnumber of child devices possible to participate M, the maximum number ofslots N may be rendered small, and if a data rate is important, themaximum number of slots N may be rendered large, and the maximum numberof child devices possible to participate M may be rendered small, forexample.

Herein, referring to FIG. 27 and FIG. 28, detailed descriptions will bemade regarding a connection process of the parent device in a step S29for inviting the child device. In a step S1001, which is a first step inFIG. 27, the processor 20 clears the child device list area 84 shown inFIG. 18, and displays an initial display. This step S1001 is a initialsetting step, and in addition to the above process, further sets themaximum number (N) of sub time slots assigned to one child device, andsets the maximum number (M) of the child devices accepting the entry. Itis noted that each of the maximum numbers of N and M can be determinedin accordance with the game program to be executed. Thus, if the maximumnumber N of the sub time slots assigned to one child device and themaximum number M of the child devices possible to simultaneouslyparticipate are to be determined according to the game, of a constantnumber of the sub time slot, it is possible to determine whether toincrease the number of the child devices possible to participate bydecreasing the number of the slots assigned to one child device or toincrease the data rate by increasing the number of the slots assigned toone child device in correspondence to a content of the game. In a casethat the more the player, the more interesting the game, the number ofthe slots N may be rendered small, and the number of the participatingchild devices M may be rendered large. In a case of the game requiring alarge communication amount, the number of the slots N may be renderedlarge, and the number of the participating child devices may be renderedsmall.

In a succeeding step S1003, the processor 20 writes a pseudo randomvalue into the area PID for setting the parent device PID of the parentdevice variable area 86 (FIG. 18). Next, in a succeeding step S1005, thevariable m indicating the number of child devices actually connecting tothe parent device (user's own apparatus) within the communicable rangeis rendered zero (0), and in a succeeding step S1007, “Null” is set tothe area of a subject to connection CID indicating the number of childdevices subject to connection. In addition, zero (0) is written into thevariable n, within the area 86, indicating the number of slots actuallyallotted to the child device under a connection process. It is notedthat the subject to connection CID is a CID of the child device underthe connection process, and is for ignoring an entry request from thechild device of the CID other than the subject to connection CID, in acase that a plurality of the slots are to be allotted to one childdevice in the entry process, when allotting of the slot to a certainchild device is started in order to allot a plurality of the slots tothe certain child device in a successive number. In a succeeding stepS1009, one of the vacant slot numbers is assigned to the entry slot areaESlot within the area 86.

Subsequently, in a succeeding step S1011, the processor 20 examines thesignal from the operation key 38 (FIG. 1) so as to determine whether ornot the A button (not shown) is depressed. If “YES” in the step S1011,which means that the user of the user's own apparatus (parent device) atthat time refuses its child device's entry (see FIG. 9), thus in asucceeding step S1013, the processor 20 deletes from the child devicelist area 84 in FIG. 18 the data, USlot and CID of the selected childdevice. Subsequently, in a step S1015, a new child device list 18B isdisplayed as shown in FIG. 9.

Then, if “NO” is determined in the step S1011, that is, the user of theparent device did not depress the A button, or after executing the stepS1015, the processor 20 determines whether or not the start key (notshown) is operated based on the signal from the operation key 38 in astep S1017. If “YES”, the process directly returns. However, if “NO”, ina succeeding step S1021, a transmission/reception process of the parentdevice shown in detail in FIG. 29 is executed.

The transmission/reception process of the parent device shown in a stepS1019 in FIG. 27 is shown in detail in FIG. 29. In a step S2001 in FIG.29, the processor 20 determines whether or not there is data yet to betransmitted in the transmission buffer 92 (FIG. 18). If “YES”, in asucceeding step S2003, data necessary for the parent device in FIG. 14such as the PID, the user name, the game name, the OC flag, the E slot,the U slot, and the payload, which is the above-described data yet to betransmitted, for example, is transmitted. Then, in a succeeding stepS2005, after receiving the child device packet, the process returns.

If “NO” is determined in the preceding step S2001, in a succeeding stepS2007, the processor 20 determines whether or not no data transmissionis made during the past 64 milliseconds. It is noted that a time periodof this “64 milliseconds” is an example of a numerical value capable ofdissolving a timer deviation, and needless to say, other numericalvalues may be possible.

If “YES” is determined in the step S2007, using the parent device slot,each data excluding the payload such as the PID, the user name, the gamename, the OC flag, the E slot, and the U slot, for example, istransmitted in a step S2009. This step S2009 is a step necessary forenabling the entry from the child device, and even without the payload(data to be transmitted), the data necessary for the entry process (thePID, the user name, the game name, the OC flag, the E slot, and the Uslot) is regularly transmitted, thus the child device is always capableof making the entry process. In this step S2009, the payload data is nottransmitted. Next, after the step S2009 is ended, or when “NO” isdetermined in the step S2007, the process returns via the preceding stepS2005.

Returning to FIG. 27, in the step S1021 subsequent to the step S1019,the processor 20 determines whether or not the child device CID issuccessfully received in the slot designated by the field ESlot of theparent device packet shown in FIG. 11 (that is, it is determined whetheror not the child device uses the entry slot and makes the entryrequest). In a case of “NO” in this step S1021, the process returns tothe preceding step S1011, and in a case of “YES”, in a succeeding stepS1023, it is determined whether or not the subject to connection childdevice CID of the child device variable area 86 in FIG. 18 is Null (thatis, it is determined whether or not there is another child devicecurrently under entry process). If YES, that is, if the number of thechild device subject to connection (CID) is not registered, in a stepS1025, the child device CID received in the step S1019 is registered asthe number of the child device subject to connection (CID) in thesubject to connection child device CID within the area 86 in FIG. 18.

When “NO” in the preceding step S1023, or after ending the step S1025,the processor 20 determines whether or not the received CID is the sameas the subject to connection CID (that is, it is determined whether ornot the received CID is the CID of the child device currently underconnection process) in a step S1027. If “NO”, the process returns to thepreceding step S1011. If “YES”, that CID is stored in a portion showingthe entry slot of the U slot area USlot within the area 86 in FIG. 18 ina succeeding step S1029. Next, in a step S1031, the actual number ofconnecting slots n is incremented (+1), and in a step S1033, it isdetermined whether or not n=N, W, that is, the actual number ofconnecting slots n reaches the maximum number of slots N (variesdepending on each game) applied to one child device. If “YES”, since itis not accepted to allot more slots to the child device, the processadvances to a succeeding step S1035 shown in FIG. 28. However, if “NO”,since it is possible to allot more slots to the child device, theprocess returns to the step S1009.

When the actual number of allotted slots n reaches the maximum number ofallottable slots N, the entry process toward the child device is ended,and the process advances to a step S1035 in FIG. 28. However, in thisstep S1035, the processor 20 of the mobile game machine, which becomesthe parent device, receives the user name, the game name, and etc. ofthe child device having the entry process ended. The user name and thegame name of the child device are added to the child device list in astep S1037, and the child device list 18B is displayed as shown in FIG.9 in a step S1039.

Subsequently, the processor 20 of the parent device, in a step S1041,increments (+1) the actual number of child devices m, and in a stepS1043, determines whether or not the actual number of child devices mbecomes equal to the maximum number of child devices to be connected M(varies depending on each game). If “YES” is determined in the stepS1043, that is, it is determined that it is not possible to connect morechild devices, the process directly returns.

On the contrary, in a case that it is still possible to connect morethan one child devices, that is, “NO” is determined in the step S1043,the process returns to the step S1007 in FIG. 27.

Thus, the connection process is executed in the step S29 in FIG. 21, andfurthermore, in the step S31 in FIG. 22, it is temporarily stoppedaccepting the child device, and “ffh” is written into the entry slotESlot in order to prohibit other child devices from participating. Next,as required during the game, in order to invite the child devicesadditionally, the subject to connection CID within the area 86 in FIG.18 is rendered Null, that is, the actual number of connecting slots n=0.

Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the game is started in thestep S33, that is, the start button (not shown) included in theoperation key 38 is depressed. When the start button is depressed, inthe succeeding step S35, the processor 20 refers to the U slot areaUSlot of the parent device variable area 86 shown in FIG. 8 so as todetect the number “m” of the child devices currently being connected.The number of areas, which is not “0h” out of each area of the U slot,is the number m currently being connected. Next, in the step S37, it isdetermined whether or not the number of the child devices beingconnected m is smaller than the maximum number of connections M. Beingdetermined “YES” in this step S37 means that the new entry of the childdevice is accepted. Therefore, in this case, in the succeeding step S39,one of the vacant slot numbers (the slot number corresponding to thearea, which is “0h”, out of the U slots) is set to the E slot area ESlotof the parent device variable area 86. This cancels a state setting ofthe area ESlot of “fh”.

Next, in the step S41, by the transmission/reception process of theparent device described by referring to FIG. 29 in advance, the parentdevice packet shown in FIG. 11 is broadcast (transmitted), and the childdevice data (packet) shown in FIG. 13 is received from the each childdevice.

Subsequently, in the step S43, the processor 20 determines whether ornot the data of a certain child device is not successfully received formore than a predetermined time period t1. Being determined “YES” in thisstep S43 means that it is probable that the child device has alreadydeparted from the communicable range 64 (FIG. 2), and in this case, inthe step S45, the processor 20 deletes the child device number CID ofthe child device from the U slot area USlot of the parent devicevariable area 86 (FIG. 18). As a result of this process, the childdevice slot used by the departed child device becomes a vacant slot,thus making it possible to allow a new entry of the child device insteadof the departed child device.

When “NO” is determined in the step S43, or after the step S45 is ended,in the succeeding step S47, the processor 20 determines whether or not“ffh” is set to the E slot area ESlot of the parent device variable area86. If “YES”, in the succeeding step S49, the processor 20 executes thegame process according to the game program 62 (FIG. 15) of the cartridge16.

When “NO” is determined in the step S47 in FIG. 22, in order to accept amid-course participation of the child device, the process advances tothe step S51 in FIG. 23. In this step S51, the processor 20 of theparent device determines whether or not the child device CID issuccessfully received by the slot designated in the E slot field ESlot.If “YES”, in the succeeding step S53, it is determined whether or not“Null” is written into the area of the subject to connection CID withinthe area 86 in FIG. 18. If “YES”, that is, the CID of the child devicesubject to connection is not registered, in the step S55, the CIDreceived by the slot designated in the E slot is registered in the areaof the subject to connection CID.

When “NO” in the preceding step S53, or when the step S55 is ended, theprocessor 20 determines whether or not the received child device numberCID is the same as the subject to connection CID in the step S57. If“YES”, in the succeeding step S59, the child device CID is stored in aportion showing the entry slot of the U slot area USlot of the area 86in FIG. 18. Next, in the step S61, the actual number of connecting slotsn is incremented (+1), and in the step S63, it is determined whether ornot n=N, that is, the actual number of connecting slots n reaches themaximum number of slots N allottable to one child device. If “YES”,since it is no more possible to accept allotting the slot to the childdevice, the allotting of slot to the child device is ended, and in thestep S65, “Null” is set to the area of the subject to connection CIDwithin the area 86, and zero (0) is written into the variable n.

Subsequently, the processor 20 of the parent device, in the step S67,determines whether or not the actual number of connecting child devicesm becomes equal to the maximum number of connectable child devices M. If“YES” is determined in this step S67, that is, it is determined that itis not possible to connect more child device, in the step S69, “ffh” iswritten into the E slot area ESlot.

It is noted that after the step S69, or when “NO” is determined in thesteps S51, S57, S63 or S67, respectively, the process stops themid-course participation process of the child device in each case, andreturns (returns to the step S49 in FIG. 49) to the game process.

The above-described is a case that the cartridge not applicable to theOC mode is attached to the user's own apparatus, and a process of themobile game apparatus of a case that the user's own apparatus becomesthe parent device.

Next, descriptions will be made regarding a process of the mobile gameapparatus of a case that the cartridge applicable to the OC mode isattached to the user's own apparatus.

When “YES” is determined in the step S5 in FIG. 19, that is, in a casethat the cartridge applicable to the OC mode shown in FIG. 16 isattached to the user's own apparatus, in the succeeding step S71, theprocessor 20 displays a mode selection screen (not shown). Next, in astep S73, it is determined whether or not the normal mode is selected.If “YES”, similar to when “NO” is determined in the preceding step S5,the process advances to the step S7 in FIG. 20. That is, a process of acase that the cartridge not applicable to the OC mode is attached is thesame as the process of a case that the cartridge applicable to the OCmode is attached, and however, the normal mode is selected.

In a case that the cartridge applicable to the OC mode is attached tothe user's own apparatus, and the game of the OC mode is played, theuser's own apparatus can only become the parent device. Described indetail, If “NO” in a step S73, that is, in a case that the OC mode isselected, in the succeeding step S75, similar to the preceding step S29(FIG. 21), the connection process of the parent device described indetail by referring to FIG. 27 and FIG. 28 is executed. It is notedthat, at this time, the number of slots to be used N of one child deviceis “1” (N=1), and as the maximum number to be connected M, the numberallowed inherently by the game is set. Subsequently, in the step S77,the processor 20 transfers (downloads) a transfer-use child deviceprogram shown in FIG. 16 to the child device. Subsequently, the processadvances to the step S31 in FIG. 22, and executes each step that followsas described above.

The above-described is the process of the mobile game apparatus in acase that the cartridge applicable to the OC mode is attached to theuser's own apparatus.

Next, descriptions will be made regarding a case that the cartridge notapplicable to the OC mode is attached, and a process of the mobile gameapparatus in a case that the user's own apparatus becomes the childdevice.

When “NO” is determined in the step S27 in FIG. 21, that is, when aselection that the user's own apparatus becomes the parent device is notmade, in the succeeding step S79, the processor 20 of the mobile gamemachine 12 examines an operation signal from the operation key 38 so asto determine whether or not the A button (not shown) is depressed, thatis, it is determined whether or not the parent device intending toconnect is selected. If “YES” is determined in this step S79, theprocessor 20, next, in the step S81, determines whether or not possibleto communicate between the selected parent device. That is, it isdetermined whether or not the cartridge of the parent device and thecartridge of the user's own apparatus are in a predeterminedrelationship and capable of making a communication with each other. Whencommunicable, later, the process advances to a step S83 in FIG. 24 so asto execute the connection process of the child device. The connectionprocess of the child device is described in detail in FIG. 30 and FIG.31.

In a step S301, which is a first step in FIG. 30, the processor 20 ofthe mobile game machine that becomes the child device attempts toreceive the parent device packet (FIG. 11). Next, in a succeeding stepS3003, it is determined whether or not frame synchronizing data sync ofthe parent device selected in the menu screen is successfully received(FIG. 3, and etc.). More specifically, it is determined whether or notthe synchronizing data sync of the parent device packet including thePID of the parent device selected on the menu screen is successfullyreceived.

When “NO” is determined in the step S3003, that is, in a case that theparent device packet of the selected parent device is not successfullyreceived, in a step S3005, it is determined whether or not it istime-out (time is run out), and if “NO” in this step S3005, the processreturns to the preceding step S3001. However, if “YES”, the processwrites “failure” into a connection result variable (within the area 88in FIG. 18) in a step S3007, and then, returns.

When “YES” is determined in the step S3003, that is, when thesynchronizing signal of the subject parent device is successfullyreceived, in a step S3009, the processor 20 of the child device resets asynchronizing timer (area 88), and advances to a succeeding step S3011.In this step S3011, the processor 20 renders the pseudo random value theID number of the child device CID. Next, in a step S3011, it isdetermined whether or not the child device having the CID at this timeis already present. That is, referring to the U slot of the receivedparent device packet, it is determined whether or not the same CID isalready present. In a case that “YES” in the step S3013, it is necessaryto change the number once allotted, and therefore, in this case, thestep S3011 is once again executed, and by allotting a new number CID,the examination in the step S3013 is once again executed.

The steps S3011 and S3013 are repeated until “NO” is obtained in thestep S3013, and when “NO” is obtained, the process advances to asucceeding step S3015. In the step S3015, the number of actuallyallotted slots n is rendered zero (0), and furthermore, in a succeedingstep S3017, the parent device packet is received, and in a step S3019,the synchronizing timer is once again reset. Next, in a step S3021, theprocessor 20 determines whether or not the E slot ESlot of the receivedparent device packet (see FIG. 11) is “ffh”. If “YES” is determined inthis step S3021, since the entry of the parent device is prohibited, theprocess returns, assuming that this is “failure”, via the preceding stepS3007.

When “NO” is determined in the step S3021, the process advances to astep S3023 in FIG. 31 because the entry of the child device is notprohibited. In the step S3023, the CPU core of the child devicetransmits the number CID obtained in the step S3011 to the slot shown inthe E slot field ESlot of the parent device packet at that time. Next,in a succeeding step S3025, the parent device packet is received, and ina step S3027, the synchronizing timer is once again reset.

Next, in a succeeding step S3029, the processor 20 of the child deviceconfirms whether or not its own number (CID) is present in an entry slotposition of the U slot field of the received parent device packet. Next,if “NO” is determined in this step S3029, in a succeeding step S3031,the processor 20 determines whether or not it is the time-out. In a casethat it is not the time-out, the process returns to the preceding stepS3017 (FIG. 30). However, in a case that the time-out occurs, theprocess writes “failure” in the connection result variable in the stepS3007 in FIG. 30, and then, returns.

When “YES” is determined in the step S3029, that is, its own number(CID) is present in the entry slot position of the U slot of thereceived parent device packet, after incrementing (+1) the actual numberof allotted slots n in a succeeding step S3033, in a step S3035, it isdetermined whether or not the actual number of allotted slots n becomesequal to the maximum number of slots N to be allotted to one childdevice (that is, this N changes depending on a game. A value of 1-4, forexample). When “NO” is determined in this step S3035, that is, when itis still possible to allotted the slot, the process returns to thepreceding step S3025 so as to receive the parent device packet.

However, if “YES” is determined in the step S3025, assuming that as manyslots as possible are assigned, in a succeeding step S3037, “success” isregistered in the connection result variable, and the process advancesto a succeeding step S3039. In this step S3039, the parent device numberPID of the connected parent device and the acquired slot number arestored in the area 88 of the internal RAM 28 of the user's own apparatus(FIG. 18). However, there is a case that the slot number is plural, andin this embodiment, the numerical value is any one of “0”-“3”. Next, theprocess returns to the step S85 in FIG. 24, later.

In the step S85, it is determined whether or not the connection resultis “success” by referring to the connection result variable of the area88. Then, in a case of “NO”, in a succeeding step S87, a message such as“not connected”, for example, is displayed on the LCD 18 of the parentdevice (FIG. 1), and then, the process returns to the step S7.

In a case that the connection to the parent device is successful, in asucceeding step S89, the processor 20 of the child device, toward theparent device, uses the parent device slot allotted to the user's ownapparatus so as to transmit the user name and the game name of theuser's own apparatus. Next, in a step S91, it is determined whether ornot to start the game, that is, it is determined whether or not thestart button included in the operation key 38 is depressed. If it isdetected that the start button is turned-on in this step S91, in asucceeding step S93, the transmission/reception process of the childdevice is executed.

The transmission/reception process of the child device shown in the stepS93 in FIG. 24 is described in detail in FIG. 32. The parent devicepacket is received in a step S4001 in FIG. 32, and in a succeeding stepS4003, the synchronizing timer (FIG. 18) is reset. Next, in a stepS4005, the processor 20 of the parent device determines whether or notthere is the transmitting data yet to be transmitted in the transmissionbuffer 92 (FIG. 18). If “YES”, in a succeeding step S4007, using theparent device slot already assigned, the necessary data such as the CID,the payload, for example, is transmitted. Then, in a case that there isno data yet to be transmitted, or after the step S4007, the processreturns to the step S95 in FIG. 24.

Returning to FIG. 24 once again, in the step S95, the processor 20 ofthe child device determines whether or not the data is not successfullyreceived from the parent device for more than a time period t2. The timeperiod t2 is shorter than the time period t1 in the step S43 in thepreceding FIG. 22. That is, t1 is >t2. This is because t1 is a timeperiod for cutting-off the child device having an abnormalcommunication, and t2 is a time period that the parent device starts arestoring process, and it is necessary for the parent device to wait forthe restoring process of the parent device, and then cut-off. In a caseof “NO”, in addition, in a succeeding step S97, it is determined whetheror not its own number CID is included in the U slot field of thereceived parent device packet. In a case of “YES” in the step S97, in astep S99, the game process in FIG. 22 is executed. It is noted that in acase of “NO” in the step S97, that is, in a case that the number of theuser's own apparatus is not present in the U slot field of the parentdevice packet, in a step S101, a message such as “cut-off from theparent device”, for example, is displayed on the LCD, and the processreturns to the step S7 in FIG. 20.

When “YES” is determined in the preceding step S95, that is, no data hasbeen successfully received from the parent device for more than thepredetermined time period t2, in a step S103, a message such as “notcommunicable with the parent device. Try to restore”, for example, isdisplayed, and after this, in a step S105, a restoring process isexecuted.

This restoring process is displayed in detail in FIG. 33, and in a stepS5001, which is a first step in FIG. 33, the processor 20 of the parentdevice attempts to receive the child device to be restored. Next, in astep S5003, it is determined whether or not it has been successful toreceive the broadcasting data from the parent device. It is noted thatwhether or not the parent device at that time is a parent device towhich the user's own apparatus is to be restored is understood bylooking at the “connection-destination PID” registered in the area 88 inFIG. 18.

When “NO” is determined in the step S5003, that is, when it is notsuccessful to receive the data of the parent device packet which theuser's own apparatus is to be restored, in a succeeding step S5005, itis determined whether or not it is time-out. Then, if “NO”, the processreturns to the preceding step S5003, and however, if it is time-out, ina succeeding step S5007, the process writes “failure” in the restoringresult variable included in the area 88 shown in FIG. 18, and then,returns.

When “YES” is determined in the preceding step S5003, that is, when itis successful to receive the parent device packet from the subjectparent device, the synchronizing timer is reset in a succeeding stepS5009, and furthermore, in a step S5011, the parent device packet isreceived. Then, in a step S5013, it is determined whether or not its ownnumber CID is present in the U slot field of the parent device packet.That the number of the user's own apparatus is present in the receivedparent device packet means that the reason of a state of thecommunication failure for more than the time period t2 is not anintentional cutting-off by the parent device, and therefore, in asucceeding step S5015, the process registers “success” in the restoringresult variable of the area 88 (FIG. 18), and then, returns. As a resultof this restoring process thus being made, in a case that the parentdevice and the child device deviates from the communicable range inerror, that no communication is established due to a poor communicationstate, or that the player operating the child device comes across acertain private duty, and the child device player needs to deviate fromthe communicable range for a short period of time, after such the causesare dissolved so that the communicable state is reestablished, it ispossible to return to a prior communication state.

It is noted that even if “YES” is determined in the step S5003, if “NO”is determined in the step S5013, the process returns via the precedingstep S5007, assuming that the communication cuffing-off results from anintentions of the parent device.

Returning from a subroutine in FIG. 33 to the step S107 in FIG. 24, inthis step S107, by referring to the restoring result variable of thearea 88, it is determined whether or not the restoring is “success”. If“YES”, the proves advances to a step S99 so as to execute the gameprocess. However, if “NO”, in a step S109, after displaying a messagesuch as “not possible to return”, for example, the process returns tothe step S7 in FIG. 20.

The above-described is a case that the cartridge not applicable to theOC mode is attached to the user's own apparatus, and the process of themobile game apparatus in a case that the user's own apparatus becomesthe child device.

Next, descriptions will be made regarding a process of the mobile gameapparatus in a case that the cartridge is not attached to the user's ownapparatus. However, in this case, the user's own apparatus can merelyoperate as the child device of the game corresponding to the OC mode.

Returning to FIG. 19, “NO” is determined in the step S3, that is, in acase of detecting that the parent device does not have the cartridge, ina step S111, which is a program of the boot ROM (24 in FIG. 1), an OCDprogram (program for downloading the child device-use program from theparent device) set to the ROM 52 of the wireless communication unit 14(FIG. 1) is developed into the WRAM 28 included in the processor 20 ofthe mobile game machine 12, and in a step S113, later, the processor 20of the child device starts the OCD program developed on the WRAM 28.

Subsequently, in a step S115 in FIG. 25, the processor 20 of the childdevice clears the parent device list area 80 as shown in FIG. 18, andresets the parent device list clear timer 82. Next, in a step S117, itis attempted to receive the parent device packet. Then, in a step S119,it is determined whether or not successful to receive the parent device,if “NO”, the process advances to a step S125, and if “YES”, the processadvances to a step S121. In the step S121, by comparing the parentdevice number PID included in the received parent device packet and thenumber PID registered in the parent device list area 80 shown in FIG.18, it is determined whether or not the parent device that transmittedthe parent device packet is included is not present within the parentdevice list. If “YES” is determined in this step S121, in a step S123,similar to registering a new parent device to the parent device list,the new unit number PID, the user name, the game name, the OC flag, andthe E slot read-out from the parent device packet are added to theparent device list area 80. Subsequently, the process advances to thestep S125.

In the step S125, it is determined whether or not a value of the parentdevice clear timer 82 reset in the step S115 becomes equal to or morethan “2 seconds”. If “YES”, the parent device list, that is, the parentdevice list area 80, is cleared in a step S127, and the parent devicelist clear timer 82 is reset. Subsequently, the process advances to astep S127 similar to a case that “NO” is determined in the step S125.

In the step S127, of the parent device list, the parent device havingthe E slot not “ffh” and the OC flag “1”, that is, information (username, game name) of the parent device capable of playing the game in theOC mode, and that does not refuse a participation (entry) of the childdevice is displayed. This creates, to the user of the child device, aparent device list 18A as shown in FIG. 5, and allows the user's ownapparatus to select the parent device. Next, in a step S131, it isdetermined whether or not the A button (not shown) is operated. That is,it is determined that any one of the parent devices is selected. If “NO”in the step S127, that is, the parent device is not selected, in asucceeding step S133, it is determined whether or not the cross key (notshown) included in the operation key 38 is operated. The operating ofthe cross key is for moving the cursor for selecting the parent devicethat intends the entry, and therefore, if “YES” in this step S133, in asucceeding step S135, the cursor is moved, and the process returns tothe step S113.

If “YES” is determined in the step S131, the process advances to a stepS139 so as to execute a connection process of the child device (FIG. 30,FIG. 31).

In a step S137, according to the method already described in detail, theconnection process of the child device is executed, and in thesucceeding step S139, by referring to the connection result variable ofthe area 88 in FIG. 18, it is determined whether or not the connectionis successful. If “NO”, a message such as “connection failed”, forexample, is displayed in a step S141, and the process returns to thestep S111.

If “YES” is determined in the step S139, the processor 20 transmitstoward the parent device that successfully made the connection with thechild device the user name of the parent device, and the game name.Subsequently, the process advances to a step S145 in FIG. 26 so as to,for playing the game in the OC mode, receive a transfer-use child deviceprogram from the parent device, develop the same within the RAM 28(FIG. 1) of the user's own apparatus, and starts the program. Then,subsequently, in a step S147, the respective steps similar to the stepsS91-S109 in FIG. 24 described earlier are executed.

The above is a process of the mobile game apparatus in a case that thecartridge is not attached to the user's own apparatus.

It is noted that if “NO” is determined in the step S81 in FIG. 21, thatis, in a case that although it is attempted to select the parent device,failed to make the communication, in a step S149, a message such as “theparent device cannot be selected”, for example, is displayed, and theprocess returns to the step S9 in FIG. 20.

In addition, if “NO” is determined in the step S79 in FIG. 21, that is,in a case neither the B button nor the A button is operated, it isdetermined whether or not the cross key (not shown) is operated in asucceeding step S151. If “NO”, it is determined whether or not the startkey (not shown) is operated in a succeeding step S153. In a case thatthe start key is not operated, the process returns to the step S9 inFIG. 20. In a case that “YES” is determined in the step S153, in thestep S153, after changing on/off of the all-display flag, similarly, theprocess returns to the step S9 (that is, the select key is used forcontrolling the on/off of the all-display flag). It is noted that in acase that “YES” is determined in the step S151, after moving the cursoraccording to an instruction of the cross key, the process returns to thestep S9.

It is noted that in the above embodiment, it is selected whether theuser's own apparatus is rendered the parent device or the child device,in tune with progress of the program. However, it may be possible thatsuch the selection is immediately made. In this case, as shown in FIG.34, in a step S201, which is a first step immediately after the start, aselection screen (not shown) of the parent device or the child device isdisplayed, and the according to the display, the user selects the parentdevice or the child device. Therefore, the processor 20, in a succeedingstep S203, determines whether or not the user has selected the parentdevice. In a case of “YES” in the step S203, after this, the steps thatfollow the step S29 in the preceding FIG. 21 are executed. In a case of“NO”, that is, in a case that the child device is selected, the stepsS7-S25, S79, S151-S157, and S81-S109 shown in FIG. 21 are executed.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated indetail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustrationand example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spiritand scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information processing device, comprising:processing resources, including at least one processor, configured tocause the device to operate in first and second modes, but not at thesame time; a transceiver operably connected to the processing resources,the transceiver being configured to wirelessly transmit self-identifyinginformation to, and wirelessly receive self-identifying informationfrom, other devices within communication range of the transceiver, theself-identifying information being arranged for transmission in a datapacket having one of first and second formats based on whether thecorresponding device is operating in the first or second mode, the firstand second formats being different from one another; and a computerreadable storage medium tangibly storing first and second device lists;wherein the processing resources are further configured to control thedevice to at least: update the first device list stored on the computerreadable storage medium to identify which devices, if any, withincommunication range of the transceiver is/are operating in the firstmode, based on self-identifying information received therefrom by thetransceiver, and update the second device list stored on the computerreadable storage medium to identify which devices, if any, withincommunication range of the transceiver is/are operating in the secondmode, based on self-identifying information received therefrom by thetransceiver.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first modecorresponds to a parent mode and the second mode corresponds to a childmode.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein self-identifying information istransmittable between different devices without having to establish aconnection therebetween.
 4. The device of claim 1, whereinself-identifying information is transmittable both before and after thedevice on which it is generated has established a connection withanother device.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the processingresources are further configured to control the device to at leastgenerate a display including one or more of the other devices that areconnectable with, based on self-identifying information receivedtherefrom by the transceiver.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein eachother device included in the generated display is operating in a modedifferent from the mode in which the device is operating.
 7. The deviceof claim 5, wherein the processing resources are further configured tocontrol the device to at least facilitate user input indicative ofanother device with which a connection is to be established and respondto such user input by attempting to form a connection with the anotherdevice.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein: self-identifying informationis transmittable between different devices without having to establish adirect or indirect connection therebetween; and wherein the processingresources are further configured to control the device to at least:generate a display including one or more of the other devices that areconnectable with, based on self-identifying information receivedtherefrom by the transceiver and in dependence on the modes in which thedevice and the one or more of the other devices are operating; andreceive input indicative of another device included in the generateddisplay with which a connection is to be established and respond to suchuser input by attempting to form a connection with the another device.9. The device of claim 1, wherein the device and the other devices eachare configured to store respective first and second device lists. 10.The device of claim 1, wherein self-identifying information istransmittable between different devices without having to establish adirect or indirect connection therebetween; and further comprisinginstructions executable by the processing resources to control theinformation processing device to at least: generate a display includingone or more of the other devices that are connectable with, based onself-identifying information received therefrom by the transceiver andin dependence on the modes in which the device and the one or more ofthe other devices are operating; and receive input indicative of anotherdevice included in the generated display with which a connection is tobe established and respond to such user input by attempting to form aconnection with the another device.
 11. A non-transitory computerreadable storage medium comprising instructions executable by processingresources, including at least one processor, of an informationprocessing device, to control the information processing device to atleast: operate in first and second modes, but not at the same time; usea transceiver operably connected to the processing resources towirelessly transmit self-identifying information to, and wirelesslyreceive self-identifying information from, other devices withincommunication range of the transceiver, the self-identifying informationbeing arranged for transmission in a data packet having one of first andsecond formats based on whether the corresponding device is operating inthe first or second mode, the first and second formats being differentfrom one another; store first and second device lists; update the firstdevice list to identify which devices, if any, within communicationrange of the transceiver is/are operating in the first mode, based onself-identifying information received therefrom by the transceiver; andupdate the second device list to identify which devices, if any, withincommunication range of the transceiver is/are operating in the secondmode, based on self-identifying information received therefrom by thetransceiver.
 12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium ofclaim 11, wherein the first mode corresponds to a parent mode and thesecond mode corresponds to a child mode.
 13. The non-transitory computerreadable storage medium of claim 11, wherein self-identifyinginformation is transmittable between different devices without having toestablish a connection therebetween.
 14. The non-transitory computerreadable storage medium of claim 11, wherein self-identifyinginformation is transmittable both before and after the device on whichit is generated has established a connection with another device. 15.The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, furthercomprising instructions executable by the processing resources tocontrol the information processing device to at least generate a displayincluding one or more of the other devices that are connectable with,based on self-identifying information received therefrom by thetransceiver.
 16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium ofclaim 15, wherein each other device included in the generated display isoperating in a mode different from the mode in which the device isoperating.
 17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium ofclaim 15, further comprising instructions executable by the processingresources to control the information processing device to at leastfacilitate user input indicative of another device with which aconnection is to be established and respond to such user input byattempting to form a connection with the another device.
 18. Thenon-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein thedevice and the other devices each are configured to store respectivefirst and second device lists.
 19. An information processing systemcomprising a plurality of information processing devices, wherein atleast some of the information processing devices comprise: processingresources, including at least one processor, configured to cause therespective device to operate in first and second modes, but not at thesame time; a transceiver operably connected to the processing resources,the transceiver being configured to wirelessly transmit self-identifyinginformation to, and wirelessly receive self-identifying informationfrom, other devices within communication range of the transceiver, theself-identifying information being arranged for transmission in a datapacket having one of first and second formats based on whether thecorresponding device is operating in the first or second mode, the firstand second formats being different from one another; and a computerreadable storage medium tangibly storing first and second device lists;wherein the processing resources are further configured to control therespective device to at least: update the first device list stored onthe computer readable storage medium to identify which devices, if any,within communication range of the transceiver is/are operating in thefirst mode, based on self-identifying information received therefrom bythe transceiver, and update the second device list stored on thecomputer readable storage medium to identify which devices, if any,within communication range of the transceiver is/are operating in thesecond mode, based on self-identifying information received therefrom bythe transceiver.
 20. A method of operating an information processingdevice comprising a transceiver, a computer readable storage mediumstoring first and second device lists, and processing resourcesincluding at least one processor, the method comprising: operating theinformation processing device in first and second modes, but not at thesame time; using the transceiver to wirelessly transmit self-identifyinginformation to, and wirelessly receive self-identifying informationfrom, other devices within communication range of the transceiver, theself-identifying information being arranged for transmission in a datapacket having one of first and second formats based on whether thecorresponding device is operating in the first or second mode, the firstand second formats being different from one another; updating the firstdevice list to identify which devices, if any, within communicationrange of the transceiver is/are operating in the first mode, based onself-identifying information received therefrom by the transceiver; andupdating the second device list to identify which devices, if any,within communication range of the transceiver is/are operating in thesecond mode, based on self-identifying information received therefrom bythe transceiver, wherein the device and the other devices each areconfigured to store respective first and second device lists.